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    NORTH AMERICAN Newsline                                            FEBRUARY 13, 2026       |  The Indian Eye 24

                        Mayor Mamdani Appoints Phylisa

              Wisdom as Executive Director of Mayor’s

                              Office to Combat Antisemitism

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                            communities together and safeguard
                                                                                                                  Jewish New Yorkers. New York City
            New York
                                                                                                                  Comptroller Mark Levine described
                  t  a  moment  of  heightened                                                                    her  as  consistently  thoughtful,  col-
                  concern  over  rising  antisem-                                                                 laborative,  and  well-suited  to  lead
            Aitism  across  the  city  and  the                                                                   the office at a time when its work is
            nation, New York City Mayor Zohran                                                                    “more critical than ever.”
            Kwame  Mamdani  today  announced                                                                          State Senator Liz Krueger high-
            the appointment of Phylisa Wisdom                                                                     lighted Wisdom’s ability to navigate
            as Executive Director of the Mayor’s                                                                  the  diversity  of  New  York  City’s
            Office to Combat Antisemitism. The                                                                    Jewish  community,  noting  that
            appointment underscores the admin-                                                                    her  leadership  would  strengthen
            istration’s  commitment  to  confront-                                                                the  city’s  response  to  antisemitism
            ing antisemitism and all forms of hate                                                                while  fostering  unity.  Former  New
            while ensuring the safety, dignity, and                                                               York City Comptroller Brad Lander
            belonging  of  Jewish  New  Yorkers                                                                   called the appointment a smart and
            across all five boroughs.                                                                             timely  choice,  praising  Wisdom’s
                “Phylisa Wisdom is a respected                                                                    commitment to justice, dignity, and
            leader  and  a  powerful  voice  in  the                                                              bridge-building  across  lines  of  dif-
            fight  against  antisemitism  in  New                                                                 ference.
            York  City,  Albany,  and  across  the   Hall and to demonstrate the power   tion in public elementary schools, ad-  Religious  leaders  also  voiced
            country,”  Mayor  Mamdani  said.   of pluralistic democracy in the great-  dressing  COVID-era  learning  loss,   strong  support.  Rabbi  Rick  Jacobs,
            “Day in and day out, we will work to-  est city in the world.”      and promoting fairness for students   President  of  the  Union  for  Reform
            gether to root out antisemitism and   Wisdom  most  recently  served   in nonpublic schools. She began her   Judaism, said the city needs an expe-
            build a city where Jewish New York-  as  Executive  Director  of  the  New   professional  journey  as  anAN  edu-  rienced and respected leader to guide
            ers are safe, respected, and free. I am   York Jewish Agenda (NYJA), where   cator, working directly with students   a robust response to frequent antise-
            thrilled to welcome her to this role at   she led advocacy efforts to advance   with special educational needs.  mitic incidents, adding that Wisdom
            such a critical time.”            the  values  and  priorities  of  Jewish   Her  international  experience   brings years of relationship-building
                Wisdom  assumes  the  post  as   New Yorkers in state and local pol-  further  distinguishes  her  back-  and strategic leadership. Rabbi Bob
            incidents  of  antisemitism  continue   icy, politics, and public discourse. In   ground.  Wisdom  helped  establish   Kaplan of JCRC-NY and Rabbi Ra-
            to rise, prompting renewed calls for   that role, she successfully pushed for   educational  intervention  centers  in   chel Timoner of Congregation Beth
            coordinated  citywide  action,  stron-  legislation in Albany aimed at com-  Melbourne,  Australia,  and  Tokyo,   Elohim  both  emphasized  Wisdom’s
            ger prevention strategies, and deeper   bating antisemitism and other forms   Japan, reflecting a global perspective   moral clarity, compassion, and deep
            community  engagement.  The  May-  of hate, and testified before the New   on education and social policy.   love for the Jewish community.
            or’s Office to Combat Antisemitism   York City Council in support of in-  She  later  worked  in  public  af-  As Executive Director, Wisdom
            is  tasked  with  leading  these  efforts,   creased funding for hate crime pre-  fairs at the Massachusetts Executive   will be charged with shaping a com-
            working  across  city  agencies,  com-  vention initiatives.        Office  of  Health  and  Human  Ser-  prehensive citywide strategy to con-
            munities, and institutions to address   Her  career  reflects  a  deep  en-  vices,  where  she  supported  youth   front  antisemitism,  working  closely
            hate  crimes,  strengthen  education   gagement  with  public  service,  civic   anti-violence  initiatives  and  efforts   with  law  enforcement,  educators,
            and awareness, and ensure account-  leadership,  and  coalition  building.   to improve LGBTQ+ public health   faith leaders, and community orga-
            ability.                          Wisdom  has  worked  extensively  in   outcomes.                    nizations.
                “I  am  honored  and  humbled   advocacy  through  the  Union  for   Wisdom  studied  at  California   Her  appointment  signals  a  re-
            to take on this role in Mayor Mam-  Reform  Judaism’s  Religious  Ac-  State University and earned a mas-  newed focus on prevention, protec-
            dani’s  administration  at  a  truly  piv-  tion Center and has served as a staff   ter’s  degree  in  public  policy  from   tion, and partnership—grounded in
            otal  moment  for  the  Jewish  com-  member, board member, adviser, and   King’s  College  London,  combining   the belief that combating antisemi-
            munity,”  Wisdom  said.  “New  York   volunteer  across  local  and  national   academic training with hands-on ex-  tism is inseparable from the broader
            City has long been a beacon of hope   political efforts. She is also a former   perience  across  education,  health,   fight against hate and intolerance.
            for Jewish life. We must ensure that   elected  member  of  the  Brooklyn   and advocacy sectors.         With  this  leadership  transi-
            Jewish safety and belonging remain   Democratic County Committee.       The  appointment  drew  wide-  tion,  the  Mamdani  administration
            at  the  core  of  this  administration’s   In  addition  to  her  work  on  an-  spread  praise  from  elected  officials   has made clear that addressing an-
            vision  for  a  more  livable  city.  In  a   tisemitism  and  civil  rights,  Wisdom   and  community  leaders  across  the   tisemitism is not only a policy pri-
            time of rising hatred and fear, I look   brings significant experience in edu-  political and religious spectrum. Con-  ority  but  a  moral  imperative,  cen-
            forward to embracing this solemn re-  cation policy and advocacy. Her work   gressman  Jerry  Nadler  welcomed   tral to New York City’s identity as
            sponsibility—both  to  represent  the   has  included  advancing  educational   the  news,  expressing  confidence  in   a diverse, inclusive, and pluralistic
            diverse array of Jewish voices to City   equity,  supporting  literacy  interven-  Wisdom’s  ability  to  bring  diverse   global capital.

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